Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Magic Shake-Ball

Question for Magic Shake-Ball:
What should I be for Halloween?

Shake-Ball's Response:
“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial”
—Cassio (after making a drunken fool of himself)
Othello II.iii.262-4

My Interpretation:
Ooooh—provocative. What is my reputation? Obviously this refers to my reputation on our street, which is where I would be treat or treating. Let’s see. I have a reputation for leaving my lights on in the car and not taking care of the front lawn. I am known to be friendly and to say hello to everyone. I also have a reputation for not liking dogs, because we are one of the few families that do not own one.

Wait, that must be it: “Bestial” = dog. I am supposed to dress up as a dog—one of the neighbor’s dogs (Sunny? Poppy? Olive? Sebastian?)—so that they know I am dog-friendly!

Even though it’s bad for Cassio to have a “bestial” reputation, in my neighborhood this is a good thing.

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